Published: January 14, 2007 11:23 pm         

Law mandates healthier choices at schools

TERRE HAUTE — Indiana Senate Enrolled Act 111 passed the Legislature with little fanfare last year, but it already is having an impact on school nutrition and physical activity.

Among other things, the state law:

• Requires school districts to provide daily physical activity, which can include recess, for students in elementary school. It doesn’t specify how much, and there is an exception for bad weather.

• Elementary students may not have access to school vending machines during the school day.

• It defines healthy or “better choice” foods and beverages that may be available for sale at a school or on school grounds during the school day.

• Required as of July 1, 2006, that 35 percent of food and beverages available for sale to students — including vending machines items and a la carte items in a school cafeteria — had to be healthy, or “better choice.” That increases to 50 percent by Sept. 1, 2007. The law applies to vending machine contracts renewed or executed after July 1, 2006.

“Better choice” requirements don’t apply to the federal school lunch program, which already must meet U.S. Department of Agriculture nutritional requirements.

The 2006 school nutrition and physical activity law “sends a message we’re going to offer healthier choices,” said state Sen. Vaneta Becker, R-Evansville, who authored the bill last year. The law finally passed after three earlier unsuccessful attempts.

The new law “certainly isn’t the panacea for childhood obesity, but I think it will help,” Becker said. “If you offer kids healthier options, they will make healthier choices.”

She worked with state Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, for several years to get a law passed.

The law also expands the number of schools participating in the breakfast programs. Schools that offer the federal lunch program and have at least 15 percent of enrolled students who qualify for free and reduced-price lunch must implement a school breakfast program.

Becker said the component on daily physical activity at the elementary level is not as strong as she’d like. The problem is related to funding. “A lot of schools would have had to add physical education teachers,” she said.

There are things classroom teachers can do, such as having students take periodic breaks to exercise, she said.

The law says “better choice” drinks are fruit- or vegetable-based drinks that contain at least 50 percent real fruit or vegetable juice and do not contain additional caloric sweeteners; water; lowfat and fat-free milk; and isotonic sports drinks.

Those not considered “better choice” are soft drinks, punch, iced tea, coffee and fruit- or vegetable-based drinks that contain less than half real juice or have additional caloric sweeteners. Drinks with caffeine are not “better choice,” except for lowfat and fat-free chocolate milk.

Better-choice foods meet all of the following standards: not more than 30 percent of total calories are from fat; not more than 10 percent of total calories are from saturated or trans fat; not more than 35 percent of weight is from sugars that do not occur naturally in fruits, vegetables or dairy products.

In addition, food items available for sale at a school or on school grounds may not exceed certain portion limits if they contain more than 210 calories.

For example, in the case of potato chips, crackers, popcorn, cereal, trail mixes, nuts and seeds, portions can’t exceed 1.75 ounces, the law states.

For cookies and cereal bars, the portion is limited to two ounces; for bakery items, including pastries, muffins and doughnuts, portions are limited to three ounces, according to the law.

A beverage item available for sale at a school or on school grounds may not exceed 20 oz.

The reason for limiting portions of some snack foods is because “They were getting to be such big sizes, it was very unhealthy,” Becker said.

There are exceptions to the “better choice” requirements for items sold after normal school hours or as part of a fund-raiser, if they are not intended for consumption during the school day.

Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.